Scottish Health Minister Urges Pre-Watershed Ban on Junk Food Advertising

Scottish Health Minister Michael Matheson has reportedly written to U.K. Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, urging him to support a ban on all TV advertising for foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) before the 9 p.m. watershed. According to media sources, Matheson cited OfCom studies allegedly indicating that, while children’s broadcasting adheres to strict advertising restrictions, young viewers were still seeing ads for HFSS foods during programs intended for older audiences such as talent shows. “Broadcast advertising influences the choices made by children and can shape their attitudes to food as they grow into adulthood,” Matheson was quoted as saying. “Tackling obesity and encouraging people to make healthier life choices is one of the most important things we can do to improve the health of our nation.”

Although the initiative has since been lauded by groups like the National Heart Forum and British Medical Association, it has also drawn fire from critics of the Scottish National Party (SNP), who view the announcement as a political ploy. “At a time when we have lost 2,000 nurses, our hospitals are crumbling and we don’t have enough blankets for elderly patients, I am amazed that the SNP government is picking a fight with the UK government about what time we can show McDonald’s adverts on television,” said one Scottish Labour spokesperson. “This is the same government which rejected my colleague Richard Simpson’s Trans-fats Bill, something they did have the power to do. The SNP’s obsession with constitutional politics knows no bounds and is distracting from real problems in our health service.” See BBC News Scotland, March 17, 2012; Sunday Mail, March 18, 2012.